• October 29, 2025
• New York
• Anti-Semitism
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Representatives of Orthodox Jewish communities will be holding a press conference to counter false allegations, harassment and vilification against candidate for NYC mayor, Mr. Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of antisemitism, for his stance in opposition to the oppression of the Palestinian people.

“As religious Jews true to the Torah, we strongly decry these allegations and declare that anti-Zionism is in no way antisemitism. This accusation is misleading Zionist propaganda.” Said Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, spokesman for Neturei Karta International.

“Judaism and Zionism are not the same. Judaism is a religion; Zionism is a political nationalism. When crimes are witnessed, they must be condemned and stopped — regardless of who the perpetrators are. When such acts are committed by people of Jewish descent, it is indeed shameful for the Jewish people — but criticizing those acts does not make one antisemitic.

“On the contrary, conflating Judaism with Zionism, or anti-Zionism with antisemitism, is itself unjust and dangerous. It not only silences the righteous voices standing for the oppressed, but also falsely generalizes and holds all Jews accountable for the actions of a few. This distortion fuels hatred against Jews and is itself a form of antisemitism. – G-d-fearing religious Jews themselves – in the Holy Land, throughout the world, and in the United States – based on their faith, reject the Zionist occupation of Palestine, condemn its crimes, and oppose the existence of the State of Israel.”

The Rabbi continued “While we are not politicians and do not endorse any candidate, nor do we necessarily support all the agendas that these candidates may promote, we state clearly that those political figures around the world — including Mr. Mamdani — who have had the courage to speak out for truth and justice deserve to be lauded, commended, and admired, not silenced or intimidated.

“Especially now, after two years of genocide in Gaza, as the people of Gaza just endured a brutal genocide, an unimaginable destruction of homes and infrastructure, and uprooting of families — many of whom have been completely wiped out, with countless others still trapped beneath the rubble — people of conscience should be able to join the outcry of humanity and condemn these horrific crimes.

“Mr. Mamdani, in particular, deserves recognition for clearly distinguishing between Jews and Zionists, thereby demonstrating genuine sensitivity toward the Jewish people — refusing to blame all Jews for the actions carried out in their name by the Zionist movement.”

In conclusion Rabbi Weiss added: “As the residents of New York City prepare for the upcoming elections, we urge them to make their decisions based on what they believe is best for the city — and not to be misled by these false accusations that attempt to sway the public into supporting oppression and injustice.”

The press conference will take place:
Date: Thursday, Oct 30
Time: 3:00 pm,
Place: On the steps of City Hall, in Manhattan, New York City.